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The sos-function-inducing activity of the alkaloids skimmianine and chelerythrine in Escherichia coli

G. von Poser^I; K.V.C.L. da Silva^II; A.T. Henriques^I; J.A.P. Henriques^II

^IDepartamento de Produção de Matéria-Prima, Faculdade de Farmácia, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Av. Ipiranga, 2752, 90410 Porto Alegre, RS, Brasil
^IIDepartamento de Fisiologia, Farmacologia e Biofísie , Setor de Biofísica, Instituto de Biocién- cias, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Rua Sarmento Leite, 500, 90049 Porto Alegre, RS, Brasil. Send correspondence to J.A.P.H.

ABSTRACT

The furoquinoleine alkaloid skimmianine and the benzophenatridine alkaloid chelerythrine extracted from a species of the family Rutaceae were tested for genotoxicity by the SOS chromotest. In tests carried out in the absence of metabolization, neither alkaloid showed geno-toxic activity, while skimmianine showed a cytotoxic effect at higher concentrations. Skimmianine presented genotoxicity in the presence of a metabolic activation mixture. This effect was more marked with the use of a microsome fraction induced with Arochlor 1254 than with the fraction induced with 3-methylcholanthrene.

Keywords: sos-function-inducing; alkaloids; skimmianine; chelerythrine; Escherichia coli.

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